tremendous earthquake was felt at Amboyna. The sea, convulsed, alternately rose and fell many feet. Most of the inhabitants of Sumbawa, who are not buried, must be starved, and as the crops in Bali and the east end of Java have been destroyed, they also will suffer considerably. We have had a slight eruption of a mountain called Tomboro, in this neighbourhood. Some of the ashes from Sumbawa which fell at Samarang, are found to be slightly affected by the acids, and take the tarnish from silver more readily than lime, at the same time scratching it; which leads me to suppose that they contain silica, some metal, and other sub stances." “It is unnecessary to tell you," says the writer to his friend in Europe," that as a volcanic country this is wonderfully fertile, differing in its aspect from Sicily only in the improved state of its agriculture, while the other has retrograded into a wilderness. From the ancient accounts of that island, it would appear that Ceres has nearly shifted her seat to the antipodes. Why volcanic lands are richer than others, has often been asked, and attempted to be explained. It has been said, that volcanic stones are more readily dissolved, and the earthy matters produced are washed down, and fertilize, the soil; but this appears to me unsatisfactory. I have passed over lands which have not been subject to any eruption within the traditions of man; others that have been more or less devastated at different periods, by adjacent volcanoes, yet I never observed in the situations most remote from their influence, any abatement in the general fertility, or, on the contrary, any peculiar luxuriance near the mountains, although these are all volcanoes, either active or exhausted. I am inclined, therefore, to seek for some other cause, which perhaps may be identified with the origin of the volcanoes themselves, an internal heat accelerating the decomposition of matter, and pro moting vegetation, the rapidity of which does not impoverish a land, where the principles of the nature are so abundantly and constantly supplied. This, it must. be admitted, is no more than conjecture; but it is curious to observe the progress of nature in situations which at different periods have been devastated. Ponderous fragments or masses of stone, thrown out, in a short time are coated with moss, which corrupts and forms vegetable mould; and this, accumulating, the stones become in time small hillocks." The island of Sumbawa extends near two hundred miles, in the parallel of nine degrees of south latitude. Near the northeast end, on a fine bay, which stretches seven or eight leagues south into the island, is situated the town of Beema, where the Dutch had formerly an establishment, by the permission of the sultaun, who availed himself of their assistance in repelling an attack made upon him by his neighbours of Tombora. The sides of the harbour are bold and lofty, but the approach is perfectly safe, though the passage is sometimes inconvenient, from the prevails, and the great depth of strong current which generally water; as a line of one hundred fathoms will hardly reach the bottom, even close to the shore. This channel is in some places very narrow, yet there is not the least hazard in passing it, though the Dutch charts, evidently from design, represent it as extremely dangerous, and full of shoals and rocks. On the contrary, a ship of the line may sail along either side in perfect security within thirty yards of the cliffs, which give a romantic appearance to the channel, that terminates in a capacious basin, forming one of the finest harbours in the world. On the east side of this bay stands the town of Beema, where the landing is unfavourable, owing to a mud bank, extending near a mile from the town. The produce of this island consists of sapan-wood, b that of Goonong Api, an explosion of the latter being immediately answered by an eruption from the former. The town of Sumbawa is situated in a large bay, open to the north and north rice, saltpetre, sulphur, birds'nests, and wax; but the principal part of its trade is in horses, which are very fine, though small. The most esteemed of these are procured from the small island of Gonong Api, lying at the north-east, having a good harbour, east end of the harbour of Beema, stretching deep within the land. about four miles from Sumbawa This place is governed by a chief Point, and forming the west side of its own, who is however subof the north entrance of Sapy ject to the sultaun. The other Straits. It is a large volcanic towns or districts, Dompoo, Tommountain, terminating in two lofty bora, Sungur and Pikat, have also peaks, and the soil is astonishingly their respective chiefs, thus formfertile. Another volcanic moun- ing a kind of feudal system. tain, on the north coast of Sumbawa, is said to be responsive to March 7, 1816. NAUTICUS. To the Editor of the Asiatic Journal. SIR,-Will you be good enough to inform your numerous readers, whether or not, in the event of the Bishop of Calcutta's being obliged, from ill health, or any other cause, to quit India, another bishop would be appointed? and, if so, whether the present bishop would retain his designation, as Bishop of Calcutta? or what is to become of his lordship, spiritually and temporally? To the Editor of the Asiatic Journal. SIR, AS a curious specimen of the oriental style, I send you the accompanying translation of two letters from the Nabob of Arcot (who excited some interest in the British Parliament several years back) to their present Majesties. It is presumed that the originals were never presented to the illustrious personages to whom they were addressed; for the Persian* manuscripts from which the translations have been rendered, were accidentally discovered by a countryman near the sea, soon after the wreck of the General Barker, East Indiaman, on board of which, Sir Thomas Rumbold (mentioned in both letters as the bearer) sailed from India in charge of them. The man kept them in his possession for several years; till they lately caught the attention of a friend of Persian is the Court language of India. CLERICUS. mine, who was so kind as to procure a translation from the elegant pen of a gentleman, justly reckoned the first Persian scholar in this kingdom. The one addressed to His Majesty was found in an imperfect state; that to the Queen appears to be complete. I am, Sir, &c. &c. AFTER hoping for His Majesty's health and prosperity, &c. &c. the writer most respectfully lets him know, that he has received the letter written to him by His Majesty, under date 23d Dec. A. D. 1778, (brought by a Rear-Admiral, meaning by the true servant of His Majesty) expressing that the honour and advantage of the writer of this, is dear to His Majesty, and that full confidence is to be placed in whatever Sir Edward Hughes shall say to the writer in His Majesty's name, which has been to him the cause of the greatest satisfaction. The situation of the writer has over and over again been represented to His Majesty; that the writer conceives the difficulties in which he is implicated are such, that if he were again to state them, it would only be giving His Majesty unnecessary pain; and that His Majesty himself in his own wisdom must have well comprehended, that until some remedy is found for them, the degradation of the writer of this will be greater and 'greater; and this can only proceed from the friendship and protection of His Majesty. Sir Edward Hughes has said, on the part of the writer of this, that I rely perfectly, and shall continue to rely on the friendship and protection of His Ma jesty. In my letter of 21st January, 1780, explanatory of my wish for settling an arrangement between us, myself and His Majesty; and I conceive that such an arrangement will not only be the acquisition of security and comfort to myself and my successors, but will greatly strengthen the alliance which now is coming forward between me and the British nation, and will appear in future also. At this present writing, I have given power to His Majesty's subject, Sir Thomas Rumbold, who is now departing for England, for this purpose; and whatever information that gentleman, who is well versed in the affairs of the Devan, To the ornament of the veil of modesty and majesty, the enlightener of the canopy of chastity and magnificence, queen of the kingdoms of Europe, bright star of the constellation of glory and renown, to whom together with glory and prosperity, be health perpetual! ALTHOUGH a long time has elapsed since I have had the honour of giving that exalted personage an account of my health, whose known celebrity has been the cause of great pleasure and happiness to me; yet it is matter of great grief to me, that from the distance which separates us I feel myself withheld from personally presenting to that exalted personage, the tribute of respect and attachment which the writer and all his family cherish in their hearts for her; and therefore have taken the liberty to send by Sir Thomas Rumbold, a subject of her Majesty, a diamond seal-ring, in token of friendship, and I hope that as it is taken immediately from my own finger, to be forwarded thither, Her Majesty will condescend to wear it upon her's, as a mark of the pure and unchangeable fond wishes I bear towards the English Queen. I intreat the Almighty for the good health of Her Majesty and children, as a cause of happiness to the King, and of glory to the English nation and may she be happy! To the Editor of the Asiatic Journal. SIR,-I feel obliged by the information contained in the communication of the "Bombay Effective Officer," in answer to my enquiry respecting the principle of selection of East India officers for the honours of the Bath. I must however confess that it would have been more satisfactory had your correspondent been able to have assured me that those officers who most distinguished themselves were overlooked for better reasons than it seems in his power to give. I had the honour of some acquaintance with the late Earl of Buckinghamshire, while he was at the head of affairs at Madras and am ready to avow that the interests of the army, at that presidency, were by no means forgotten during his administration; but surely, Sir, it is somewhat strange, that the influence of a President of the Board of Controul should be so weak, in the cabinet of which he was a member, that so little justice could be done to his old friends, that only fifteen, out of four thousand officers, were selected for the honour of the second class; and that they should be excluded from the first altogether! I am not disposed to doubt the fact of the noble Earl's strict impartiality; yet some stronger proof must be brought, before I can honestly join your correspondent in this posthumous praise. I am glad that your correspondent has brought to my recollection the questionable though vague manner in which Mr. Hume, in his speech at the India House in December last, seemed to insinuate* that the Indian Army wanted a stimulus to honourable exertion. For my own part, Sir, I should blush for any body of soldiers who wanted either pensions, titles, or ribbands, to make them do their duty. Long before the Indian Army could anticipate any honorary rewards of this kind, they had gained immortal honour in every part of the peninsula; and, as for looking to pensions as spurs to exertion, I could show you, Sir, a list of hundreds of names who have for many years fought and bled in India again and again, and whose * Vide p. 70 of Asiatic Journal. only spur was that of honour. In five cases out of ten, they could have had no anticipation of becoming rich enough to return to their native country, and in fact expected no better fate, than that of dying either in action, or in poverty, in that climate which was the field of their glory. I am not personally acquainted with Mr. Hume, and would wish it to be understood, that these remarks were made entirely on public grounds; and it is on such grounds that I would challenge any one to say, that in any period of the history of the achievements of the Indian Army, they fought under the impulse of any other "stimulus" than that of honourable and patriotic feeling. I am, &c. A BENGAL RETIRED OFFIcer. To the Editor of the Asiatic Journal. SIR, More than a year since, I observed, from the French advertisements, the appearance of the first number of "Monuments, ancient and modern, of Hindustán, by M. Langlès ;" and I thought, that if well conducted, the work might form an elegant supplement, or sequel, to the grand publication of our Messrs. Daniell, entitled Antiquities, Architecture, and Landscape Scenery of Hindustan." In consequence, I some time afterward ordered a few of the numbers; and had just cause, Sir, to feel some little surprize, when I found that this work, as to the graphical part of it, that is, much the most costly portion, is likely to prove, in substance, little else than a re-print, if I may apply that term to engraving, of the work of Messrs. Daniell, on a scale of about one third larger than their beautiful aquatinta, reduced from their original atlas edition, and now in the course of publication! troduction, I have no manner of doubt, that of the one hundred and fifty promised plates, nearly as many as three-fourths will be engraved directly from the English work. In the Introduction M. Langlès promises twenty-four engravings of the antiquities of Ellora; the precise number occupied with those antiquities in the English work. One sixth part of Messrs. Daniell's is a series of romantic views, chiefly mountainous. In this part, at least, thought I, M. Langlès will be thrown on other resources for his drawings; since his title imports an exclusive attention to "monuments." No! in reading the Introduction, I found, that here, too, he is to appropriate, without ceremony, the English work. See with what artifice, not to say affectation, he contrives propriety in taking into his plan what would seem so foreign to it. Forming my conclusion from the plates of the first few numbers, and a sentence or two in the In C the heart withered and the mind rendered melancholy, by the lamentable scenes which, of late years, have so signalized the annihilation of the Mahommedan 1816. M. Langlès' Plagiary of Messrs. Daniell's Oriental Scenery. 327 power, and the successive destruction of the Rajahs, or Hindoo princes; the eye fatigued by the diversity and multiplicity of objects which we shall have alternately examined with attention, or rapidly passed over, we shall need repose; and we shall find it amid the majestic mountains of the Ghauts and of Sirinagur. Some views of that truly romantic country will not be displaced in our work, and will pleasingly conclude it. Mountains are monuments, raised by nature, to transmit from age to age, the history of the grand revolutions of the globe. These monuments have their architecture, and even their sculptures, which are more imposing, though they will occupy us less, than those of the Hindoos, Mussulmans, and Europeans, to which this work is especially devoted." It is among these same mountains of Sirinagur that some of the finest views of Messrs. Daniell are taken; and I have not the least doubt, that M. Langlès means to avail himself of, at least, the greater part of their work. Now, Sir, if the learned Frenchman had plainly and honestly avowed, that for the benefit of the literature, taste, and arts of his country, he was going to publish a set of plates, engraved, for the most part, after the splendid series of Messrs. Daniell, but accompanied by elaborate commentaries and elucidations of his own, all would have been perfectly fair; but neither in advertisements, nor in his full introductory statement of his plan, is there one word of acknowledgement. He speaks of the drawings prepared for his work much in the same complacent manner that he might, if they were originals, for which the public would be indebted to him and his artist. It is true he puts "Daniell delineavit," at the bottom of the plates, but he gives no information about this "Daniel" and his work. The name is introduced just once in the Introduction; and I must quote the sentence, to shew you in what manner :-"This plan, as it must be seen, is very different from that of Messrs. Gough, Crawford, Holmes, Hodges, Colebrooke, Pen❤ nant, Maurice and Daniell; who, as well as ourselves, are employed upon antiquities and monuments of Hindu architecture and sculp ture." This is the ingenious way in which he alludes to a work to which his own is to owe much the greater part of its attraction; and it seems a portion of the work so constituted is going (without any preliminary hint that it is otherwise than entirely original) to appear in English, for the use of those who have already Messrs. Daniell's work in their hands. Sir, I am truly sorry that I have not been able to convey in fewer words, both the information which I feel assured you will judge to be due to such persons, would, without it, become purchasers of this pla giary, and the accompanying animadversion, which seems due to literary honour. The letter-press, according to the prospective notices on the covers of the numbers, will be, at least, extensive enough to form a very thick volume. The typogra phy is most beautiful. The size of the common paper copies is colombier quarto, within a trifle of the size of our demy folio. As to the quality of what will strictly belong to M. Langlès, there can be no doubt that so distinguished an orientalist will produce a work highly interesting and valuable in its kind. A national feeling of indul gence toward Hindu paganism may be anticipated, if we are to judge from the following sentence in the Introduction: "How can we fail to be penetrated with a feeling truly religious, in contem plating these pagodas; in survey. ing the schools, once the rendezvous of the sages of the East; and in beholding the majestic and holy stream, the object of religious reverence to one of the most ancient |